This invention relates to N-[(N-nitrosoalkylamino)methyl]carbamic acid esters, a process for producing the same and a method for generating a diazoalkane by using the same.
Diazoalkanes, particularly diazomethane, are widely used as a general alkalating agent in organic syntheses.
As a diazomethane generating agent, there have been used N-nitroso compounds such as N-methyl-N-nitroso-p-toluenesulfonamide, N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-dinitrosoterephthalamide, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, N-methyl-N-nitrosourethane, and the like. But these N-nitroso compounds are unstable and easily denatured. Further, those commercially available are not pure and give out an offensive smell and are not satisfactory in generating rate of diazomethane. Recently, N-[(N-nitrosomethylamino)methyl]benzamide has been proposed as a stable diazomethane generating agent in place of these N-nitroso compounds but it is still insufficient in its generation method and the yield.